Roll of Honor
Incident
Policeman George Samples succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained the previous day when the father of a boy he was arresting confronted him at the county jail. The boy had resisted arrest and was forcibly taken to the jail by Policeman Samples and another officer.
During the incident, friends of the boy had notified the father, who was also a law enforcement officer in the county, of what was occuring. When the father arrived at the jail, he began to struggle with Policeman Samples and was shot in the stomach. The father then disarmed Officer Samples and shot him in the stomach as well.
Both men were taken to Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Knoxville, where Policeman Samples died the following day.
Policeman Samples was survived by his wife and 11 children.
Survivors
Policeman Samples was survived by his wife and 11 children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TN-E0858787- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Policeman Samples served with the Newport Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Newport community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Policeman Samples.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Policeman George Washington Samples is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In TN, 498 of 769 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 64.8% of this state's fallen. That is 10.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. George Washington Samples's cause is highlighted.
How George Washington Samples Compares
Offender Outcome
Shot and wounded
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. George Washington Samples is highlighted in Oct.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. George Washington Samples was killed by officer's handgun.